


The first time ever I saw your face

by Bit_of_sparkle



Category: Strictly Come Dancing RPF
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-18 06:34:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29239173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bit_of_sparkle/pseuds/Bit_of_sparkle
Summary: Take yourself back to 2019, Ranvir has just spent the evening as an audience member at Elstree. She heads backstage for a quick interview... that turns into a bit of a heart to heart.Of course this is entirely fictional!
Relationships: Giovanni Pernice/Ranvir Singh
Comments: 11
Kudos: 15





	The first time ever I saw your face

**Author's Note:**

> An awkward first encounter leads to an unlikely but much needed chat.

‘Ranvir Singh...’ Ranvir held her hand out to greet him, he was even fitter in real life than she would admit. She was suitably more comfortable in her favourite jumpsuit. As opposed to him, who was dressed still in his paso doble attire from the results. She turned to the runner and thanked him, before drawing her attention back to the gorgeous Italian in front of her. 

‘You’re off Good Morning Britain yeh.’ He replied, and reached for her hand hoping not to look like some sort of stalker. ‘I’ve definitely watched you before. You work with Susannah and obviously Piers.’ 

‘Occasionally yes. As you can imagine it’s a handful with the latter’ she laughed, Giovanni Pernice knew exactly who she was. Of course he may just be into daytime television, but she was flattered regardless. She silently hoped he hadn’t noticed the fact she’d been subconsciously playing with her loose hair ‘You both danced fabulous tonight by the way.’ 

‘Thank you!’ Giovanni felt his cheeks red, was he blushing perhaps? If Gorka or Alijaz heard he was blushing in front of that sexy political editor off the television, he was sure he would never let it down. ‘I thought I saw you in the audience, you caught my eye as we finished the dance’

It was at that moment, Ranvir smiled at him sweetly, as he looked straight at the floor. Elstree wasn’t a tiny audience, but she wasn’t prepared to let herself believe that her looks caught his eye. So she simply smiled, speaking may have made it more awkward and he didn’t need any help in that department. 

‘I mean... I wasn’t particularly looking for anything in particular. The jumpsuit caught my eyes.’ He continued trying to salvage the conversation. By gesturing towards her outfit. 

‘You’re digging yourself a hole here.’ She laughed adjusting her top. Perhaps humour was a better alternative than burying a hole right in the middle of the corridor and hiding in it. Or maybe a subject change was more tactile. ‘Can I ask you a few questions before I eave, itv are always after some inside gossip, I’ve heard your the best to go to?’

‘Ah so my reputation goes beyond the four walls of the studio then.’ He was silently grateful this was a more professional conversation. There was something about her confidence that made him a bit shy, she was so intelligent. He’d seen her interview a few politicians and they always looked terrified. Giovanni couldn’t blame them, if she asked him about Brexit, he was officially finished. ‘Yes of course, Michelle had to leave for some conference call, but I’ll do my best to come up with some useful answers. Come to my dressing room, it’ll be easier to talk in there’ 

‘Not a suggestion for anything else i hope.’ She murmured under her breath just quiet enough so he wouldn’t be able to pick up on it. She rummaged through her bag for her laptop, as a method of distraction. 

‘Huh’ he questioned the mouse like voice he heard. Clearly she wasn’t as quiet as initially thought.

‘Nothing darling. Lead the way.’ She smiled as he continued to lead her through the windy corridors. 

Once reaching the dressing room, she was surprised with how tidy it was. She wasn’t sure what to expect but there was a perfectly, laid out cushioned sofa against the wall. A dressing table and a mirror, and a red chair that was span outwards. Inside was photos of Giovanni with each of his dance partners. Michelle’s was up there already and she couldn’t help but wonder who would be next. 

‘Take a seat’ he said, gesturing her to the sofa. She took her seat as he shut the door behind them. She reached for her laptop, as she noticed he sat next to her. She wasn’t sure why this made her stomach flip, there was another chair but he had chosen to sit almost inches from her. She brushed her hair off her face and silently took a breath. It was important for her to think of this as work, imagine being on live morning tv, that’s all she could tell herself.

‘So Giovanni... I’m just gonna ask a few questions.’ She smiled sweetly at him, judging his face looked like he was about to sit an exam, she started with an easy one first. ‘What’s your favourite thing about strictly?’ 

‘I think for me... apart from the winning.’ He flashed a smile at her, to assure her there was more to him than that. ‘It’s watching people grow through the journey. It’s watching people find a love for dancing that you only know to well. It’s like watching a love story unfold in front of you, and your best friends are feeling it to.’ 

Part of her was really moved, not every journalist gets to see such a soft side of the man commonly known as the ‘Italian Stallion.’ She looked at him deeply and saw that no one had asked him stuff about himself for a while. It was always his looks or dance, not how he actually felt. She was questioning whether to go with this line of questioning, but she felt she knew him a lot longer than 20 minutes. ‘Whats the worst part.’ Ranvir asked cautiously .

‘The media. We’ve all had our fair share of unfair articles or assumptions made about us that are unfair and false. But there seems to be no escape sometimes. With someone like Michelle, her confidence with talking to people, is often what carries us through the interviews.’ 

She noticed he was playing with the cushion on the sofa, part of her wanted to hug him. He was different to how she imagined. She no longer wanted to interview him, she just wanted to talk, she slowly placed her laptop closed. ‘You don’t talk to the press?’

‘Not the ones I don’t trust, I’ve told them things in the past, and the next day I’m plastered over Twitter. There obsessed with my looks. You probably know what it’s like, working on television you get comments made, it hurts.’ There was a sadness in his voice, that was almost a reflection of years of built up stress. 

‘Sadly I do, I’m quite lucky in my job, I don’t have so much opinion about my appearance. I battle a lot with self confidence. It’s hard to see yourself in the papers when people have no idea about you.’ Ranvir was no longer taking notes, they were simply facing eachother on the sofa, talking about months, in fact years of built up hurt. 

‘You shouldn’t have any confidence issues. You’re beautiful.’ He realised he had said it, before he even heard himself. He wasn’t lying. It just wasn’t something he was expecting to say, and from the shyness in her smile. He didn’t think it was something she was expecting to hear either. She brushed her hair behind her ears, and he realised that someone must have really hurt her, because she didn’t believe a word of what said. He walked over to the cupboard under his table, and pulled out a bottle of red wine. ‘I keep this for an occasional celebration drink, sorry if this sounds weird but do you fancy a glass?’ 

‘That’s very sweet of you.’ She nodded, as he poured her a glass of Merlot. He passed it her and sat down next to her, even closer than before. She realised there was lump in her throat. She knew he needed reassurance too. ‘Giovanni, if there is one thing I’ve learnt, it’s that the British Public aren’t stupid. Some are, but the majority will read something and move on. It’s easy to tell from watching you alone, you have a big heart. Let the media write what they want to, your biggest answer is to do nothing at all.’ 

Listening to her voice, was almost like a calming wave. He could happily sit there all night and listen to her. He wanted to know more about her, her favourite things? Her work? Her life. ‘What’s the best part of your job?’ 

‘The people.’ Ranvir could not help but think, It was so nice for someone to ask her something, she always felt she had more to give. No one ever really asked what life was like for her. ‘I turn up to work each day and it’s the same wonderful people, i love them all. I trust them with everything, even Piers. Which comes to a surprise for most people.’ 

‘I understand, it’s like here, everyone is so lovely. Makes work feel like a family gathering.’ He could entirely relate to her on the importance of friendship. ‘I love Michelle, she is brilliant... and well I obviously met Ashley here.’ 

‘Of course,’ Ranvir noticed the shift in his attitude when he mentioned her. She didn’t want to push the matter, in case she was crossing the line. She opted for a more general question. ‘Are your family over in the UK?’ 

‘No, they live in Sicily. With being so busy with strictly it’s been especially....’ Ranvir looked into his eyes, when he didn’t finish the sentence, she could see he was emotional. She placed her hand on his, whilst he continued. ‘Sorry... with how busy we are it’s been especially hard, I haven’t seen them for months. We FaceTime but I can’t help but miss them.... Anyway, what about you, family?’ 

‘Yes I’ve got an 8 year old son. He’s my everything. I’m divorced, so I don’t really ever talk about it.’ Her hand was still on his, she felt his finger rubbing her thumb. She couldn’t look at him otherwise years of hurt would flood out. ‘We separated and I’ve been a single mum since. It’s not easy but I’ve learnt that sometimes I’m better alone.’ 

It dawned on her, that she spends her morning asking people about their life but so many people know little about her. Giovanni was different, he was interested. She could sit all night talking to him about life, but she was worried he had become a closed book. ‘I’m sorry if this has come across intrusive. I didn’t take any notes, it was actually just nice to chat.’ 

‘Not at all, it was honestly so lovely to chat to you. You’re different to how I imagined.’ She was taken aback by the comment but she let him continue. ‘I see you on tv sometimes, don’t get me wrong, you’re always so bright and happy. But deep down, I think there is something in there that needs bringing out of you. I think there is more to you than initial impressions. Almost Like a butterfly.’ He motioned his hands like wings. To which they both laughed. 

They were interrupted by the notification on her phone to alert her, her car was here. She was slightly disappointed their encounter was over. He held his hand out to help her up off the sofa. She knew right at that point, he was truly a gentleman. 

‘Would a hug be weird?’ He asked, unsure if this was coming crossing the line entirely. Usually Ranvir would decline, but this felt like a catch up with an old friend. Rather than a first encounter with a strictly pro. ‘A hug sounds good.’ She smiled, as he wrapped his arms around her. Neither of them realised they had both shut their eyes. It has been years of hurt that was somehow being released in the comfort of a hug, that lasted a little too long to be platonic. As they pulled away, she was certain she felt him squeeze her shoulder. She was unsure when she would see him again. But for that hour or so, it felt special. She left the room, like it had become a daze, as she walked to her car, she heard a shout. 

‘Oh Ranvir.’ She turned to see his head poking out the dressing room door. ‘Maybe I’ll see you around here again?’ 

‘Maybe.’ She replied. ‘Maybe you will’

**Author's Note:**

> And look at them now! ❤️
> 
> Thank you for the kind words on the last fic. This one is entirely different again x


End file.
